James monroe brown



(No Model.)

J. M. BROWN.

LOCK.

No. 597,387. Patented .13.11.18, 1898.

UNITED Sterns Erreur Ottica,

JAMES MONROE BROV, OF EXETER, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO TVLLIAM A. PEAK AND LEO D. PEAK, OE SAME PLACE.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 597,387, dated January 18, 1898.

Application filed July 14,1897. Serial No. 644,500. (No model.) v

To @ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, .Linus MONROE BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at EX eter, in the county of Scott and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in locks, and has special reference to a lock to be used upon mail bags or pouches, boxes, gates, or, in fact, a lock to be used in any situation where it would eiiiciently operate.

The main object of my invention is the provision of a lock Which can be attached to a inail-bag or boX,wl1ich is automatically locked and uulocked-thatis,the latch part is thrown out of the casing as soon as the latch is released by the locking mechanismand Which is simple, durable, and inexpensive for the intended purpose.

To attain the desired objects, the'invention consists of a lock embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts,sub stantially as disclosed herein.

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my lock with the top or lid removed, showing the mechanism in the position it assumes when locked. Fig. 2 is a similar view of my lock, showing the mechanism in the position it assumes when the lock is released; and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the parts of the mechanism detached.-

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the casing, which consists of the base-plate 2, which is secured upon the mail-bag or place upon which the look is used in any suitable manner, having the flange or rim 3, rising upward therefrom, provided with the opening 4: for the insertion of the tongue 5, which has the arrow-shaped head 6, the purpose of which will be stated hereinafter, which opening et has the guide-Wall or flan ges 7 leading thereto.

I provide a cover or lid 8, which snugly fits over the casing and is secured thereon by means of screws or other suitable means, and

which has formed therethrough the keyhole 9, and which also has the name or advertisement receiving plate 10 secured thereon.

On the base-plate and projecting upward therefrom are the posts or lugs 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 1G, upon which the locking mechanism is secu red in place and operates.

Fitting upon the post or lu g 11 is the lever or tumbler 17, which consists of notched head 18, which engages one side of the head G of the tongue 5, and theA long arln 19, which is pressed upon by one arm of the spring 20, whose loop 2l is iitted around the post 12. This lever or tumbler 17 has theslot 22 form ed therein, through which passes the arm 23 of the spring 2i, which fits upon the lug or post 13, and by reason of the long arm 25 of this spring pressing against the rim of the casing the head of the tongue 5 is kept in contact with the notches 1S, 26X, and 27 of the levers or tumblers 17, 26, and 27, said levers or tumblers 26 and 27 fitting upon posts 14 and 15. The lever 26 is formed'vvith the bent-up lug 29, which abuts against the side of the tumbler 27, having the notched head 30, and which fits on the post 15 to keep the lever 27 the proper distance forward, (which, from the drawings, it will be noticed, is not quite so far. forward as the head of the lever or turnbler 26,) and which forms a holder until the head of the lever 26 is released from engagement, said lever 26 being operated upon by the key, which iits on the post 1G first as the edge 31 of the said lever projects from under the tumbler 27. These tumblers 26 and 27 are both formed with the long arms 32 and 33, which are acted upon by the split ends 84 and 35 of the spring 20, and as the end of the tumbler 26 extends from under the tumbler 27 the split end 34 of the spring 'is bent out of line with reference to the other split end, so that the same spring keeps both ends of the tumblers in the proper posit-ion.

To the end of the locking-tongue 5 may be attached the ordinary strap used in the mailservice, or it may he attached to the box or what not by means of a staple or, in fact, any suitable fastening.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of my lock Will be readily understood; but, brieiiy stated, it is as follows: The lockingtongue is pushed into the casing through the guideway, and as the tongue is pointed the IOO jaws (formed by notches in the ends of the tumblers) ofthe locking mechanism are forced apart until the notches on the tongue are engaged by the jaws and the spring 24 operates upon the end of the tongue, pushing or pressing it more tightly in the jaws. Now to release the locking mechanism it is simply necessary to insert and turn the key, which presses the tumblers outward away from each other, and the bearing-spring 24C then forces the tongue out beyond reach of the jaws, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that I provide a lock which automatically locks and which throws the tongue out of reach of the locking mechanism when released, which may be attached to mail-bags, boxes, and the like, and which is extremely simple, very durable,

and cheap, thus rendering my lock very use-y ful and practical where such a lock may be used.

I claimy I. In a lock the combination with the locking-tongue, of the base-plate having mounted thereon the casing and locking mechanism, said locking mechanism consisting of the three levers or tumblers, two of said tumblers being fulcrumed on different Alugs and pass' ing one beneath the other, the spring adapted to force the long ends of the tumblers outward having one of its arms split and having its ends out of line, and the spring for holding the tongue snugly and firmly in the jaws or between the heads of the tumblers and adapted when the tongue is released to force it out of the reach of said jaws.

2. In a lock the combination with the locking-tongue having the notched end, of the base-plate, having the casing with the opening therein for the insertion of the tongue and having guides leading to said opening, the locking mechanism mounted upon said baseplate and consisting of the three tumblers or levers having their short ends notched and forming a jaw to receive the head of the locking-tongue, one of said tumblers adapted to have its head and long arm out of line with the other tumbler resting upon said first-mentioned tumbler, the tumbler having the notch or slot on its upper surface near its head and forming one side of the locking mechanism, a spring secured on the base-plate between the long arms of the said tumblers and having its arms bearing upon said long arms to press them apart and force the jaws closer together and having the ends of one arm split and out of line to correspond with the two tumblers constituting the other side of the locking mechanism, and a spring secured on the base-plate and having one arm pressing against the side of the casing and the other arm passing through the slot on one of the tumblers and exerting a tension on the end of the locking-tongue inorder to hold it tightly in the jaws while in a locked position and to force it out of reach of the jaws when the locking mechanism is released.

3. In a lock, the combination with the lockingtongue, of the base-plate having mounted thereon the casing and locking mechanism, said locking mechanism consisting of the three levers or tumblers having the notched heads forming a jaw, and the long arms, the spring having two arms, one of which is split to press against two ot the long arms and the other pressing against the other long arm to force the notched heads toward each other, and the spring for keeping the locking-tongue in place and forcing it outward when released by the jaw of the tumblers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MONROE BROWN.

Witnesses:

JOHN ALLEN, GEORGE WV. LITTLE. 

